


I Love You Like A Brother (Just Like I Oughta)

by writerstrash



Series: Mr. Stark & His Kid [14]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Spider-Man - All Media Types, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Family, Fluff, Gen, Peter & Morgan bonding, Precious Morgan Stark (Marvel Cinematic Universe)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-07
Updated: 2020-04-07
Packaged: 2021-03-01 01:35:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,369
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23327110
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/writerstrash/pseuds/writerstrash
Summary: Morgan wakes up late at night, but instead of sneaking into her parents room, she goes to Peter.
Relationships: Peter Parker & Morgan Stark (Marvel Cinematic Universe), Peter Parker & Morgan Stark (Marvel Cinematic Universe) & Tony Stark, Peter Parker & Tony Stark
Series: Mr. Stark & His Kid [14]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1402432
Comments: 4
Kudos: 154





	I Love You Like A Brother (Just Like I Oughta)

Peter had always been pretty great with kids. He just had a way of talking to them and treating them like little people rather than babies who couldn't understand the world. Peter knew what it was like to be so young and have so much happen without an explanation. To have everyone around you thinking you just wouldn't understand and didn't bother. 

So, yeah, kids _loved_ Peter.

But Morgan Stark was not like every other kid.

When Peter had first come back, Tony was in a terrible condition. He had met Morgan briefly during hospital visits, but Tony didn't wake up for two weeks and Peter had an entire life to put back together with May. He didn't exactly get the chance to bond with the little girl.

Pepper always hugged him and told him how happy Tony would be to see him and have him meet Morgan. But Morgan stayed hidden away in Pepper's arms, not even wanting to look at him. 

So, maybe Peter wasn't great with _Stark_ kids.

Which was a whole other emotion to deal with. Up until the Snap, Peter was beginning to see himself as...well, as a Stark kid, himself. As close to a Stark kid as Tony had. And Tony felt the same. They had a bond that would never be broken, one that each other needed in equal amounts. But then the world changed forever, and five years passed.

After Tony woke up, Peter remembered their conversation about Morgan.

_"She's gonna be obsessed with you, just so you know. Prepare yourself for serious boundaries to be crossed because that kid will climb all over you and want you to color in all day and go swimming and it's...it's non-stop, kid. Reminds me of you. Actually, I don't know if I could handle both of you."_

Peter remembered the first time he had been in the room when Morgan rushed in to see Tony, barely noticing Peter sitting by his side. Tony had referred to the boy as her 'big brother' and Peter almost passed out with panic. Morgan didn't say a word. 

They weren't like siblings. They weren't like Tony and Pepper had been hoping for. 

Peter didn't come back and fall into their family like a missing puzzle piece. Because to Peter, the puzzle was already complete. He was never a Stark kid. Morgan was biologically a Stark, Peter was just by association. They had spent five years together living this normal life and Peter had come back and turned it upside down.

But Tony wanted nothing more than for Peter to be in his life. To come up to the house one weekends. To have his own clothes and belongings in the room Tony had always kept spare for him. 

"I know it'll take a while to adjust, and we'll work through it for however long it takes," Tony had assured.

Peter had just nodded and agreed, knowing that the real problem was rooted much deeper than just settling into a room.

But one night, in the early hours of the morning, Peter's senses flared up. Someone was right by his side. He turned, tearing his eyes away from the computer screen and looking down at the small five year old girl clutching her teddy.

"Why aren't you sleepin'?" she asked, totally unaware of the fact she had almost given Peter a heart attack.

"Uh...I'm just...wait, why aren't _you_ sleeping?" he asked. "It's way past your bedtime,"

"I _was_ sleepin'," she argued. "Daddy read me my story, but I woke up 'cause I could hear noises in the hallway. Sometimes I think we have a bunny in the house but mom doesn't believe me,"

"A bunny in the house, huh?" Peter nodded, trying to calm his breathing. 

"Uh huh, and daddy said if I hear noises or want him, I just tell Friday and she get 'em for me," she explained. "But I wanted to be big and walk to them instead, but 'den I saw the light under your door,"

Peter nodded, still trying to figure out what he was meant to do in this situation. He should probably take Morgan back to bed and save Pepper and Tony a few extra hours of much needed sleep. But right now, the little girl was just staring up at him as if he was the one being weird.

"Y-yeah I was just finishing off some homework-"

"Daddy says you don't sleep anymore," she blurted out, still looking innocent and unaware of the impact of her words. "He was tellin' mommy he's worried 'cause you need to sleep but you don't,"

Peter took a moment to process her words and decided against questioning her about it. Tony and Pepper openly discussed Peter's inability to sleep. Cool. Nothing to panic about there. Nothing to fixate on for the rest of the not. Nothing at all. 

"Oh, uh...I _do_ sleep," he shook his head. "It's important to sleep,"

"I know that,"

"Then how about I take you back to your room, huh? Then you can go _back_ to sleep," he offered. "I can fix your glow light for you,"

Morgan stared up at him and let out a long sigh.

"But now I'm thirsty. I can't go back to bed thirsty,"

"Well then I guess we'll go get a glass of water first, okay?" 

"Can't I have a juice pop?"

Manipulation. Peter wasn't falling for that.

"No, It's way too late for juice pops,"

Morgan frowned.

"Hey, I don't make the rules," Peter put his hands up. "I wish I could have a juice pop too, but we can't,"

"We _could_ have one, if we wanted to," she continued, grinning. "Rules are just suggestions,"

Peter laughed at that. 

"Who says that?"

"I heard daddy say it to Uncle Rhodey,"

"Why am I not surprised?" he shook his head, running a hand through his hair.

Morgan watched him as he saved his work on the computer and grabbed his empty mug before standing.

"Your eyes are dark," she commented, pointing. "That means you sleepy,"

Kids were so very observant. But they also had no filter when that sort of thought popped into their head. If they noticed something about someone, they said it right away. It was another reason Peter found it so easy to talk to kids, normally.

"You look pretty sleepy too," 

"Mom and dad say you need to sleep, too, you know?" she reminded. "Once I stayed up so late I felt sick. Don't you feel sick?"

"No, I feel fine," Peter yawned, beginning to walk to his door. 

Morgan chased after him, tugging on his shirt until he looked down as saw she was grabbing for his hand. He took it into his own, his heart warming at how tight Morgan clung to him. They hadn't done this before. They'd never really spent much time at all together. 

They walked down the hall quietly, making their way to the stairs and down until they could see the small light left on in the kitchen. Peter was picking up on the fact Morgan didn't like the dark, and it was fitting, really, because neither did Peter or Tony. No matter how much they denied it. 

"Okay, one glass of water for you," Peter sighed, making his way to the fridge. 

"For you too?" Morgan asked, still clinging to his hand. 

"Coffee for me,"

She frowned, lifting her arms for Peter to pick her up. He did immediately, figuring she wanted to be seated up on the bench. 

"Mommy says coffee after lunch is bad,"

"Not if you're working, though,"

"Is that why you don't sleep?"

"Uh, yeah," Peter nodded, pouring the glass of cold water. 

"Do you not like sleeping?"

"I like sleeping,"

God, Peter _loved_ sleeping. He craved it. 

"Are you making that up?"

"No," he shook his head. "Who doesn't like sleeping?"

Morgan chugged down her water, proving to Peter she really was thirsty. Afterwards she was taking deep breaths and sighing in satisfaction. Peter grinned. She looked like someone who just finished a sprint race.

"Can I watch some of my movie?"

Peter frowned as he poured his coffee. At this hour, he had to settle for the instant mix, which he really didn't mind. It was all he and May ever had, and sometimes Peter thought it tasted way better than freshly brewed. It a comforting flavour.

"Uh, noooo," he shook his head, eyes wide. "Morgan, it's _so_ late,"

"But I'm not sleepy now,"

"Well...you will be once you get back into bed,"

Morgan huffed.

"Can you read me a story? They always make me sleepy," 

Peter looked at her, arms out waiting for him to pick her up again. She was five years old and didn't need to be carried at all anymore, but she was a hard little face to say no to. Luckily Peter had his spider stickiness. He had his hot coffee in one hand as he pulled Morgan to his side, balancing her against his hip as they made their way back to the stairs. 

Morgan laid her head down on his shoulder and clutched at her teddy, making herself comfortable for the short walk. Peter smiled.

It felt nice to have the approval of Morgan. Even if the way she showed approval was just hugging him or being comfortable around him at all. That was a big insecurity for Peter. Morgan was the most important thing in Tony and Pepper's life. The idea of her hating him made him sick.

They walked up the stairs and Peter began to turn toward Morgan's room but her legs kicked at his side and she shook her head.

"Noooo," she whined lightly. "We go your room,"

"My room? I don't have a glow light in there," he shook his head, still whispering. 

If Tony was a light sleeper, he should have been able to hear them. 

"But I don't need glow light if you're there," 

Okay. Okay, _that_ hit Peter hard. Morgan felt safe with him.

"Oh...okay. Well, don't you wanna get a book to read?"

"You have books, I saw 'em,"

"Chemistry books," Peter chuckled, pushing open his door once again. "You won't like them,"

"Daddy sometimes reads boring stuff to me," she shrugged. "I still get sleepy, and I learn a lotta new words,"

That didn't surprise Peter at all. He could imagine Tony lulling his small baby daughter to sleep just by reading every listing on the periodic table or going through endless equations. He could also imagine some of her first words being extremely odd.

Peter closed to door behind him, Morgan still clinging to his side, and wandered over to his laptop. It was currently the only light illuminating his room, so he turned on the bedside lamp and closed his screen for the night. He sat his coffee down beside the lamp and grabbed his chemistry textbook, pulling back the cover for them to slip under. Morgan crawled up to the pillow and settled in with her teddy, waiting for Peter to take his spot.

Peter leaned back against the headboard, propping himself up, readying his book. Morgan snuggled in close to him, her arm going around his tummy as she let out a long sigh of content. Peter felt so warm and loved in that moment, he didn't expect it. 

"Ready," she announced, staring up at him.

"Okay," Peter smiled, starting to feel surprisingly tired. 

He flicked the textbook open to a random page and began reading off different equations and what they created. Sometimes he would throw in little stories about each time he used them in his own experiments. 

"Are you smarter than daddy?" she asked, voice quiet and barely awake.

"Not by a long shot," Peter shook his head, his eyes drooping.

"I think you are," she whispered.

Peter smiled to himself, feeling the book grow heavy in his grip. 

There was something about Morgan's warmth at his side that made Peter feel safe, too. It made him feel like he was at home. Like he was with his family. It _was_ his family. But he had always felt so unaccepted by Morgan.

But not now. Not with her little hand around him, her warm breath at his side, her calming presence. 

Peter couldn't remember where he got up to in his textbook before it slipped from his fingers, falling down onto the pillow at his side as he fell into the sleep he so desperately needed. 

* * *

_Earlier..._

Tony could hear Friday's alert, but he could barely make out what it was. Generally, the louder the alert, the bigger the problem. But this was barely a whisper. 

"Wha'?" he grumbled, rolling over to see the notification hologram by the bed.

_Morgan is awake and no longer in her room. She is now with Peter._

Tony stared at the words for a moment. He hadn't been blind to the fact Morgan was still so uneasy around Peter. That Peter was so obviously concerned by her lack of interest. For years, his biggest dream was for the two of them to meet. To have the bond of a brother and sister just like he imagined they would.

But nothing ever worked out so easy in reality.

It had taken a few months, but Tony smiled to himself at the idea of progress. 

"Are they okay, Fri?" Tony asked, his voice quiet.

In response, Friday pulled up the footage of Peter walking downstairs with Morgan, hand in hand, to get her a glass of water. He felt more than a little concerned as he watched the boy pour a cup of coffee at this late hour, be he really couldn't argue against his own past actions.

Tony couldn't take his eyes away from his daughter and Peter. His daughter and his, unspoken yet completely loved and accepted, son. He couldn't wipe the adoring grin off his lips as he watched Peter carry Morgan back to his room and settle in with a textbook.

He made sure to snap a photo in the morning when he walked in on them both sound asleep, arms wrapped around one another, snoring lightly. 

**Author's Note:**

> If anyone is wondering about the name of this one-shot, it's from 'I Love You Like A Brother' by Alex Lahey.


End file.
